Celosia plant named &#39;BKCELAV&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Celosia  plant named ‘BKCELAV’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; moderately freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; bright red purple-colored flowers arranged on narrow conical compound spikes; and good interiorscape and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Celosia plumosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKCELAV’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Celosia plant, botanically known as Celosia plumosa and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKCELAV’.

The new Celosia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Celosia plants that have unique and attractive flowers, long flowering period and good interiorscape and garden performance.

The new Celosia plant originated from an open-pollination in June, 2013 in Maasdijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Celosia plumosa identified as code number 1401562, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Celosia plumosa as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Celosia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in April, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Celosia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since September, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Celosia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Celosia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKCELAV’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKCELAV’ as a new and distinct Celosia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Bright red purple-colored flowers arranged on narrow conical         compound spikes.     -   5. Good interiorscape and garden performance.

Plants of the new Celosia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia are shorter than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Celosia are lighter green in         color than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Celosia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have dark purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Celosia can be compared to plants of Celosia plumosa ‘Kelos Purple’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia differ primarily from ‘Kelos Purple’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia are shorter than plants of ‘Kelos         Purple’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Celosia are lighter green in         color than leaves of plants of ‘Kelos Purple’.     -   3 Plants of the new Celosia flower earlier than plants of ‘Kelos         Purple’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Celosia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Celosia plant. The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKCELFLM’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences and the upper and lower surfaces of leaves of ‘BKCELFLM’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under commercial cultural practices typical of Celosia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 17° C. to 18° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 16° C. to 17° C. Plants were pinched one time and were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Celosia plumosa ‘BKCELFLM’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Celosia             plumosa identified as code number 1401022, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Celosia             plumosa, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual typically             grown as a potted plant; broadly upright plant habit;             flattened globular in overall shape; freely branching habit             with about four lateral branches developing per plant; low             vigor to moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 13.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 17.7             cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 27.1 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7.7 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Aspect: About 40° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, developing and             fully developed: Close to 145B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 14.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Long apiculate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly             rugose, glabrous; moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A;             margins, close to 187C. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 143B; margins, close to 187C. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; towards the margins,             tinged with close to 200A; central blotch, close to between             200A and 203B; venation, close to 183C to 183D. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 148A to 148B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             148C to 148D; towards the edges, close to 183A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 148B; towards the edges, close to 183C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged             in narrow conical terminal compound spikes; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 3,000             flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; somewhat moldy.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 70             days after planting; flowering continuous from spring into             the autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Celosia             have good longevity and plants maintain good substance for             about 40 days; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color: Close to N74A.         -   Petals.—None observed.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically eight per flower             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening,             inner and outer surfaces: Close to N74C. Fully opened, inner             surface: Close to N74D; venation, close to N74B; color does             not change with development. Fully opened, outer surface:             Close to N74D; venation, close to N74A; color does not             change with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9.6 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Upright to about 50° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Color: Close to 144B to 144C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle:             About 80° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: Close to 71B to 71C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2.5 mm. Filament color: Close to             N74A. Anther size: About 0.3 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther color: Close to 65D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Length: About 3.5 mm. Stigma diameter: About             1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped, three-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 64A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close             to N74A. Ovary color: Close to 155C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Celosia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Celosia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Celosia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Celosia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness     Zones 9 to 12. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Celosia plant named ‘BKCELAV’ as illustrated and described. 